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Quote:A section of the Kitchener line between Bramalea and Georgetown is still owned by CN, however.

Metrolinx couldn't say when additional track purchases, including the stretch between Georgetown and Bramalea would be made. The agency has committed to doubling current service frequency between Toronto and Kitchener by 2016.

It has also said it will bring all-day two-way GO service to the corridor, although there is still no firm date for when that might be implemented.

It's not very exciting but I'm sure it will help trains run more on-time. I was taking the Via train to Toronto on Saturday and it was delayed an hour by freight outside Sarnia (so, not fixed by this announcement, but relevant in general).

Track purchase is next step to two-way, full-day Kitchener-Toronto GO service, government says

Ontario announced today that it has purchased, for $76 million, the privately owned rail line between Kitchener and Georgetown. This will eventually allow for all day, two way rail services connecting Kitchener and downtown Toronto.

Step by step. It’s to read each and every time that two new trains will be added by 2016. That will be big. Speed (lackthereof) is a barrier to ridership, but so is a lack of flexibility. More frequent trains are sure to attract riders.

I'd love to know how they're going to double track the trestle in Guelph.

If you're talking about the bridge over the Speed river the piers seem to be built with double tracks in mind. There looks to be enough room on the tops of the beams to lay down new trusses. I imagine they'd rework the bridge so that it's ballasted as well. The hard part of a job like that is staging for all the cranes and trucks unloading the new steel. I imagine they'd do it at night and build most of the south section of new bridge first and then be able to to work in the middle on tying it together with the existing bridge. Closing that intersection would really bung up traffic in that part of Guelph too. Won't be cheap that's for sure.

I rarely agree with Outhit but this time his negative assessment of "progress" of regular GO Transit between here and Toronto is, sadly, warranted. It may happen. But it won't likely be in my lifetime.

Wynne says two-way, full-day GO service is on the way to KitchenerOctober 10, 2014 | Chris Herhalt | Waterloo Region Record | Link

Quote:WATERLOO — When it comes to the needs of growing Waterloo Region firms and their employees, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne knows there's one request from the province that stands above all others."Really, if I just stood up here and said 'we're on it, on the train, we're getting the train,' that would really be all I would need to say," Wynne joked, referring to her promise to bring two-way, full-day GO train service to Kitchener.Speaking to an audience of tech entrepreneurs, executives and local public officials at the CityAge: The Innovation City conference, Wynne said the government will add more train trips to the Kitchener line over the next few years."That is in the works and we're going to be adding trains over the next couple of years," Wynne said, before moving into a talk about a high speed rail link from London to Toronto's Union Station"For 30 years there's been a (high speed train) discussion. There are elves in the Ministry of Transportation who have done nothing in their careers but work on the (proposed) high speed train from Quebec to Montreal to Windsor."But when pressed by a reporter in the audience, she still would not disclose a firm timeline for frequent GO train service in both directions throughout the day.Ontario's recent purchase of rail line between Kitchener and Georgetown, along with the planned construction of a new layover yard for buses and trains on Shirley Avenue in Kitchener, show the Liberals' commitment to bringing more GO trains to the region, Wynne said.Kitchener-Conestoga PC MPP Michael Harris said in a news release that area residents are "tired of chasing this carrot" of boosted GO train service and need to know when two-way, full-day service will be achieved.

"We deserve to know when the real all-day, two-way service that this government has promised will arrive."In an emailed statement, Kitchener-Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife said: "The only change Kitchener-Waterloo GO users have experienced since the promises started is that their commute is now 10 minutes longer than it used to be."During the 2014 general election, the Liberals released a platform document that pledged government support for Phase 2 of Waterloo Region's LRT. But they did not mention GO train service between Cambridge and Milton, something Cambridge city council asked for and priced at between $20 million and $90 million, depending on the level of service.But Wynne said her government is still looking toward funding the next stage of the LRT, as it is part of a wider transportation plan endorsed by her government."I really think we have to wait and see what the politicians who come into the various municipalities, what their positions are. But I would just say that one of the things we need to do in this province is we need to move forward on plans that are already underway," referring to the first phase of the LRT and bus rapid transit for Cambridge.

After speaking at the conference, Wynne attended the opening ceremonies of Oktoberfest, sipping beer from the ceremonial keg and dancing with local officials to polka music.

The most important part of her non-promise, "But when pressed by a reporter in the audience, she still would not disclose a firm timeline for frequent GO train service in both directions throughout the day."

Looks like this will be part of the standard Liberal platform for the next 30 years.

The most important part of her non-promise, "But when pressed by a reporter in the audience, she still would not disclose a firm timeline for frequent GO train service in both directions throughout the day."

Looks like this will be part of the standard Liberal platform for the next 30 years.

I think there is a lot of work ahead for GO/Metrolinx. Running all-day two-way service all along the line probably needs two tracks and a lot of other infrastructure to get built first along with scheduling and space at Union Station for all the trains. GO might as well electrify at the same time and if they are actually going to electrify the entire GO system at the same time it's going to take a lot of work and time.

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